The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has warned that faith-based violence poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s unity and peaceful coexistence, insisting that no citizen should be killed on account of religion, ethnicity or sectional identity.
Hayab spoke in a statement issued in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a condolence visit to the Catholic Bishop of the Ondo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Jude Arogundade, over the June 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, which left more than 40 worshippers dead during a Sunday Mass.
He described the Owo massacre and similar attacks across the country, particularly in the North, as a national tragedy that demands collective reflection and urgent action.
According to the statement, the visit was aimed at identifying with the diocese, encouraging survivors and bereaved families, and reaffirming the solidarity of Northern Christians with communities affected by terror attacks nationwide.
Hayab urged governments at all levels to make the protection of lives a top priority and ensure justice for victims by decisively bringing perpetrators to account, stressing that peace and national cohesion cannot flourish in an atmosphere of fear and impunity.
He maintained that what happened in Owo concerns every Nigerian, noting that similar tragedies have repeatedly occurred in the North, with the pain felt across the country.
Also speaking during the visit, a former Chairman of CAN in Ondo State and former President of the Ondo State Baptist Conference, Rev. Dr Ayo Oladapo, described Bishop Arogundade as a father figure and a unifying voice for Christians within and beyond the state, adding that the suffering of one part of the Christian body affects the whole.
Leading the delegation, the Chairman of CAN in Ondo State, Rev. Fr. Anslem Ologunwa, reflected on Bishop Arogundade’s 15 years as head of the diocese and 35 years in priesthood, highlighting the Church’s care for victims of the attack.
He said support has continued for survivors, including one who is permanently wheelchair-bound after a double amputation, stressing that the pain of the victims remains a collective responsibility of both the Church and the nation.
Ologunwa disclosed that about 60 children of the victims are currently benefiting from five-year scholarships sponsored by the Church in various tertiary institutions, while families affected by the tragedy continue to receive support.
Responding, Bishop Arogundade thanked Hayab for the visit, describing it as a strong gesture of empathy and unity that reinforced the message of a united Church across regions and denominations in the face of violence.
The Bishop commended the Kaduna State government for sponsoring a Christmas carol aimed at healing divisions left by the previous administration and praised the efforts of some political leaders working to foster national unity.
He lamented the brutal loss of lives in the Owo massacre and appealed to authorities to take decisive steps to ensure that Nigerians can live together in peace.